Crisp edges of aluminium are hand welded together with such precision as to make the joins invisible, as if the base was forged out of one solid piece of metal. On top, the Mulberry paper is hand painted with ink. By day the shade is fresh and cool, once lit the textures of the mulberry paper come into play, producing quite a different effect.
I designed my latest collection of lamps after living in Bangkok, where I spent six months observing and documenting the shapes, materials and atmosphere around me. I loved the way that man-made metallic surfaces collided with older, softer materials, such as paper lanterns and old illustrated prints.
Richard’s work as a product designer represents a more tangible connection to craft, and has led him to build relationships with skilled craftspeople both in the UK and abroad. He has done this particularly in Southeast Asia, where he works with ceramics, textiles and traditional paper-making in his designs. At the core of this is a belief that work made by hand is an act of resistance against automation, and that we have a duty to protect and regenerate these long-held craft traditions.
Richard’s work as a product designer represents a more tangible connection to craft, and has led him to build relationships with skilled craftspeople both in the UK and abroad. Nowhere more so than in Southeast Asia, where he works with ceramics, textiles and traditional paper-making in his designs. At the core of this is a belief that work made by hand is an act of resistance against automation, and that we have a duty to protect and regenerate these long-held craft traditions.
